Latest Headlines

Two more teams have been awarded pro continental status, but Rock Racing was not among them.

The UCI announced Friday that Spanish team Xacobeo Galicia and Venezuelan-registered Androni Giocattoli, managed by Gianni Savio, were both awarded the important status, but Rock Racing was denied.

UCI officials did not reveal the exact reasoning why Rock Racing was not approved. All three teams had failed to meet criteria in an early round of licensing and appealed their applications to the UCI.

With their professional continental team status now secure, Xacobeo Galicia and Androni Giocattoli have also applied for wild-card status, which would open the door for them to participate in the grand tours and other big-time European events.

The decision comes as a blow to Rock Racing, which was hoping to have a higher presence in Europe this season. There was no immediate response from the team.

In all, there are 21 teams in the category for 2010.

New teams include Bouygues Telecom and Cofidis, both of which fell out of the ProTour league. Saur-Sojasun, Carmiooro-NGC and CCC Polsat climbed up from the continental category. Also, Scott-Marcondes César Sao José des Campos of Brazil was earlier awarded.

A few teams have also changed names from the 2009 season: Androni Giocattoli raced as Diquigiovanni-Serramenti; Colnago-CSF Inox (CSF Navigare) and De Rosa-Stac Plastic (LPR).

Teams that fell out of the category or closed down include Amica Chips-Knauf, Barloworld, Elk Haus, Agritubel, Contentpolis-AMPO and PSK Whirlpool.

Andrew Hood

Andrew Hood cut his journalistic teeth at Colorado dailies before the web boom opened the door to European cycling in the mid-1990s. Hood has covered every Tour de France since 1996 and has been VeloNews' European correspondent since 2002.